6
“Mom?” I stand perfectly still, not even breathing. That was my mom’s voice. I know it. What is she talking about?She’s not what you think.Who? The crying ghost-girl?
“Mom, are you here? Give me a sign.”
The paper on the table moves half an inch. I suck in a breath and stare down at it. Does my mom want me to do the banishing spell? Wouldn’t that make her go away too?
The bad feeling still plagues me, twisting my stomach so hard bile starts to rise up in my throat. Yeah. I need to do that spell. Now. Only problem is Jac put out the ingredients for me yesterday and I’ve since put them away. I rush upstairs, grabbing my phone and the notebook, and come back down. Madly, I flip through pages until I find the banishing spell.
Moving with lightning speed, I get out what I need and grab a bowl from the cabinet. Jac showed me how to invoke the powers of the herbs, and I do that with every one, adding it to the bowl after it’s been charged. I mix them up and bring them over to the stove. The last step is to burn them while saying a chant in Latin three times. I turn on the burner, prepared to light them on fire with the stove, then change my mind. I have a much better way of burning things. I flick off the burner and grab the herbs from the bowl, gathering them in both my hands.
Looking down at the notebook, I read the spell in my head twice to make sure I know how to pronounce each word. Then I summon the fire around my hands, burning the herbs as I say the spell.
Almost immediately, I feel better. I leave the kitchen, going into the library while the herbs are still smoking in my hand. The air isn’t so cold. The smell of sulfur is gone. Albeit, it’s been replaced by what smells like moldy weed, but it’s better than the alternative, that’s for sure. My heart stops racing and I don’t feel like I’m in immediate danger again.
Letting out a breath of relief, I go back into the kitchen to do the spell once more, taking the herbs upstairs to detoxify my bedroom of whatever sort of spirit was in there.
I wipe my hands on a towel, clearing off charred remnants of the herbs before I get more to repeat the spell. My phone dings from a text, and it startles me. Just a bit. Okay, so I’m still a little on edge. But can you blame me? My dead mother just gave me a warning about the ghost I just saw.
It’s enough to freak anyone out.
Tiffany, a crime scene photographer at work and the closest thing I have to a friend, texted me. I grab the herbs I need to repeat the spell and then pick up the phone to see what’s up. She knows I’m not working this week…I think.
Tiffany: Hey, Ace! I heard you’re being forced into a vacation this week. I’m a little jealous. No one’s ever forced me to take time off work ;-) I’m dying to get out of the house…want to go out for a drink later?
I reread her text, even though I got it the first time. At first I don’t know how to respond, because I actuallywantto go out and grab a drink. Getting out of the house sounds like a good idea for me as well. Doing something other than worrying about murder, ghosts, and curses is good for the mind, after all.
Me: Yeah, I’d love to! Would you mind if I brought someone?
Tiffany: Someone? Like a guy?
Me: Yes, like a guy.
Tiffany: O M G PLEASE DO
She sends a heart eyes emoji next and I laugh. We’re not all that close, but Tiffany knows I’ve been single for a while now and has gently suggested I go out and date. I used work as an excuse before.
Tiffany: Sorry. Got a little excited. And yes, that’s fine with me. There’s a good chance my Hubs will tag along with me anyway. My mom has Mav this evening so we’re both free.
Me: Sounds good. When and where?
Tiffany: Eight-thirty at Patty’s downtown?
Me: I won’t make it until closer to nine. My ‘someone’ might not be home from work yet.
Really, it’s pushing it with the sunset. I want to eat with the others and tell them what happened today. And if I can get Tom and Gil to finish painting the bedroom, that’d be great.
Tiffany: That’s fine! We’ll go grab us a table around nine then. See you later! :)
I smile and put the phone down, going back to the herbs. I invoke them all, put them in the bowl, and reach inside. And then my phone rings. I don’t recognize the number, so I let it go to voicemail. I wait, and see a message pop up.
It’s the guy Robert put me in touch with to come out and fix the window the ghouls broke. He’ll be here in the morning for some measurements and then will hopefully find a piece of old glass that’ll fit inside and “keep the integrity of the old charm” this house has to offer.
I agree in a sense, though I’m more pissed that Marissa sent those fucking ghouls after us. She should be the one paying for my damaged window. Right now it’s patched up with plywood. I call the repair guy back to let him know it’s fine if he comes tomorrow and that I’ll be home.
And then it’s back to the spell.
* * *
